Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to food and beverage packaging and radio frequency (RF)/induction heating of foodstuffs.
Discussion of Related Art
Consumers find it convenient and desirable to use prepared packaged consumable products, such as beverages. Drinks, or beverages, are liquids specifically prepared for human consumption. Prepared beverages are commonly packaged in bottles, cartons and cans.
Prepared beverages may be served cold, e.g., carbonated drinks, fruit juices, juice drinks, energy drinks, and milk. Tea and apple cider are beverages commonly served hot or iced. Some drinks are served mostly as a hot beverage, e.g., coffee, hot egg drinks, espresso, hot ginger, herbal tea, hot chocolate, hot toddy, and Irish coffee.
Hot beverages may be prepared by the consumer (e.g., making coffee in a coffee-maker) or prepared for the consumer by someone else and served to the consumer immediately prior to consumption (e.g., buying a cup of coffee at a shop). There are relatively few prepared packaged hot beverages available to consumers. One reason for the shortage of packaged hot beverages is a lack of convenient and economical ways to prepackage and heat prepared beverages to provide hot beverages.
Consumable products, e.g., packaged beverages, are commonly provided in convenient packaging to meet consumers' needs. There is a need for continued innovation in the packaging of foods and beverages to make heated consumable products, e.g., hot beverages, more accessible for consumers in convenient packaging.